The present invention relates generally to displays and more particularly to a display having automatic brightness control which is particularly useful for a vehicle display.
Current vehicles are increasingly including high resolution, re-configurable displays, such as electroluminescent displays. One known difficulty in utilizing such displays in vehicles is that the display may be difficult to see during the day in bright sunlight. In order to compensate for the problem, the brightness of the display may be increased manually. However, if the brightness of the display is increased, it will be too bright at night and interfere with the vision of the driver.
The present invention provides a display system having automatic and manual brightness control. A brightness controller varies the brightness (xe2x80x9cluminancexe2x80x9d) of the display based upon the ambient light (xe2x80x9cilluminancexe2x80x9d), as sensed by an ambient light sensor. The brightness controller varies the luminance of the display between a minimum luminance at a minimum ambient light level (minimum illuminance) to a maximum luminance at a maximum ambient light level (maximum illuminance). The display displays the maximum luminance when the ambient light sensor senses ambient light greater than or equal to the maximum illuminance. The display displays the minimum luminance when the ambient light sensor senses less than or equal to the minimum illuminance.
Preferably, the display system includes a user input device. The user input device selectively alters the maximum illuminance at which the maximum luminance is displayed. Further, the user input device selectively varies the minimum luminance displayed by the display at the minimum illuminance.